Closet shutoff valve mechanism



United States Patent CLOSET SHUTOFF VALVE MECHANISM Michael Kraft, Tempe, Ariz. Application July 12, 1956, Serial No. 597,380 3 Claims. (Cl. 137-417) This invention pertains to improvements in closet shutoff valve mechanisms and is particularly directed to an instantaneous shutoff device effective at a predetermined time when the closet storage tank is completely lled. f

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved closet shutoff valve mechanism in which the inow water is allowed to continue at full volume until the tank has reached full water level and then is suddenly closed olf by trip mechanism operated from the water level in the tank.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved mechanical means for eifecting the aforementioned results.

Further features and advantages of this invention will appear from a detailed description of the drawings in which the drawing fully illustrates in fragmentary sectional elevation the mechanism incorporating the features of this invention.

As an example of one embodiment of this invention, there is shown a suitable base plate which is xed to the water tank 11 and has an upright post 12 fixed thereto upon which is'slidably mounted the float ball 13. The regular trip arm 14 is connected suitably at 15 to the float ball 13, the rod 14 being connected in the usual manner to the shutoif water valve so that raising of the arm 14 shuts off this valve while lowering this arm 14 opens the water input valve to allow further lling of the tank 11.

A trip latch 15b is pivotally mounted on a pin 16 on the bottom of the vertical shaft 12 and has a hook portion 17 adapted to engage over the latch piece 18 which in turn is rigidly connected to the float ball 13. A second oat 19 is connected through suitable linkage at 20 in the form of the parallel links shown pivotally mounted at 20a on the support block 21 xed on the vertical shaft 12, a suitable downwardly hanging connecting chain 22 from the lower of the parallel links 20 is hooked at its lower end at the point 23 to the trip lever arm 15b.

After the regular water valve is tripped by raising it by the usual mechanism (not shown) the water level 24 in the tank drops so that both the oats 13 and 19 move downwardly, the float ball 13 latching its member 18 under the hook 17 in the condition shown in full lines in the drawing. When the regular water valve drops to its seat and closes drainage from the tank 11 in the normal manner and the tank level water starts to rise again, the oat 13 is held by the latch piece 18 and hook 17 totally submerged under the water while on the other hand the float 19 gradually begins to raise under the inuence of the rising water level. When the water level has reached the point 24 upward pressure on the oat 19 by the water level rising above it causes the chain 22 to pullupwardly on the lever 15b and to move it to position ice 2 15a, thus instantly releasing the float ball 13 so that it can move up to the position 13a raising the valve operating lever 14 to close the input water valve immediately. Thus, the main water valve and its control arm 14 remain downwardly in full open position until the water levelhas reached the point 24 whereupon pressure on the second float 19 becomes sucient to raise the lever 15b to position 15a and allow immediate upward movement of the float ball 13 instantly raising the lever 14 and closing olf the water input valve. Thus, as a result, a greatly reduced noise is obtained while at the same time the filling of the tank is much more rapid and positive and the sudden closing otf of the main valve effects a much more perfect seating inthe valve and much longer life and leak-proof operation.

While the apparatus herein disclosed and described constitutesa preferred form of the invention, it is also to be understood that the apparatus is capable of mechanical alteration without departing from the spirit of the invention and that such mechanical arrangement and commercial adaptation as fall within the scope of the appendent claims are intended to be included herein.

Having thus fully set forth and described this invention what is claimed and desired to be obtained by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A device for actuating a shutol valve mechanism for a closet having a tank, a shutoff valve operating lever, a rst oat rball vertically reciprocatable on said tank connected to actuate said lever to shut off position with the rising of the water in said tank, a second lloat pivotally mounted on said tank for vertical reciprocatory movement in response to the rise and fall of the water level therein, a latch mounted on said tank engaging a latch piece on said first oat to secure said rst oat in lower full open position of said valve operating lever, and means including a chain between said second oat and said latch to release said latch by the upward movement of said second float.

2. A device for actuating a closet shutoif valve mechanism comprising a base xed to the tank of said closet, an upright post fixed to said block, a first float ball vertically reciprocatable on said post and connected at its upper end to the trip control lever of a shutolf valve of the closet, a second float, means for pivotally mounting said second oat on said upright post for vertical reciprocation, a latch piece fixed to the lower end of said rst oat ball, a trip latch pivotally mounted on said upright post having a hook portion engaging said latch piece to hold said Iirst iloat ball in lowered valve lever open position, and a flexible connection comprising a chain connected between said second iioat and said trip latch adapted to release said latch piece by the upward movement of said second oat.

3. In a device for operating a closet shutoff valve mechanism as set forth in claim 2V wherein the means for mounting said second lloat on said upright post comprises a pair of vertically spaced parallel links, the lower of said links being connected by a chain to said trip latch.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 495,377 Searle 1 Apr. 11, 1893 1,317,940 Phelps Oct. 7, 1'919 1,616,698 Miller Feb. 8, 1927 1,803,423 Brown May 5, 1931 

